The Seventh Chapter
by CORNDOG1
Summary: rating might go up later due to violence and gore. it's Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts, lot's of things are new to him, and many great things happen, but he seems to be missing something. Perhaps something down farther than he can reach? Romance to evol
1. Meeting old friends

Part One……..  
  
  
  
It was a beautiful sunny September morning. September 1st, actually.  
  
Harry awoke to the sounds of the chirping birds outside of him and Ron's window. He reached over and grabbed his old, round glasses that have, basically (Thanks to Hermione's Reparo spell…) lasted him his entire life. He quickly wiped them off with the corner of his pajama top and put them on. Hedwig gave him a hoot from her perch atop a small bookcase, as if to say "Good morning."  
  
"Good morning, Hedwig…"  
  
Harry has been living with the Weasley's for two years now. They had gotten an extra bed to put in Ron's room, even though it was already crammed without an extra person living in it. Harry wouldn't let himself live there for free….. he decided he would help pay for the groceries and help with Ginny's schoolwork as often as she needed. He didn't have to worry about her childhood crushes anymore, she was in her 6th year, and Harry in his 7th.  
  
Harry glanced at the watch the Weasley family had given him for his last birthday.  
  
"6:10?!?" Harry yelled so loud that Ron mumbled something and moved in his sleep. He crept over to Ron's bed, which, for the lack of space, was only three feet from his.  
  
"Ron….." Harry whispered as he nudged Ron on the shoulder, "Ron, get up! Or were going to be late!"  
  
Ron moved onto his back, barely missing his shabby rat, Scabbers, who was aleep on the side of Ron.  
  
"But I couldn't possibly have another chocolate frog….really….my stomach's gonna burst!!!…."  
  
Harry poked him in the ribs.  
  
"OW!!!" Moaned Ron as he shot up in the bed. "Gosh, Harry! Enough with the violence! Save it for Quidditch!!" He told him as rubbed his eyes. "Now- Why in the world did you wake me up so early????" asked Ron.  
  
"RON! HARRY! GET YOUR TRUNKS TOGETHER! IT'S ALMOST TIME TO GO!!!" A yell from downstairs answered his question.  
  
Ron jumped out of bed and they both got dressed in their school robes. Maroon.  
  
They packed their trunks full of their school books, parchment, quills and inks in which they had gotten in Diagon Alley the week before. Also, they brought all their dragonhide Quidditch gear and gloves. They had looked at the new racing broom, The Firebolt 360. It was not just a broom, but one especially designed for Quidditch. Harry and Ron had drooled over it for hours.  
  
They tided up their hair, and grabbed their brooms. As they hurried out the door, Mrs. Weasley handed them both an egg and bacon sandwich. They ate in the car on the way to King's Cross Station. By the time they got to Platform 9 and ¾ , they were already 5 minutes late.  
  
Soon, they were through the portal and looking for their best friend, Hermione Granger.  
  
"Harry! Ron!" Came a familiar voice behind them.  
  
It was Oliver Wood!  
  
"Oliver!" Harry hadn't seen his old Captain for a while. He was now 20. They hugged.  
  
Oliver looked at Ron. "Playing good Keeper, still, Ron? Hope you haven't lost your touch over the summer. Were gonna need it this year!" he told him chuckling.  
  
"What do you mean 'We'?" Harry asked him questionably.  
  
"Well, I'm not supposed to tell you yet, I'm supposed to announce it at the sorting banquet. But….."  
  
He was killing Harry.  
  
"Headmaster Dumbledore asked me If I would like to be Quidditch Director!"  
  
"No way! For how long?" asked Ron.  
  
"Well, it's only for this year, before I go pro with the Chudley Cannons. I get to teach first-years about the rules and second-years how to play. And I also get to help the Captain, and Seeker, with some pointers and strategies. That's you, Harry." He explained.  
  
"This is great!" exclaimed Harry. "I can't wait for this season to begin!!!"  
  
"Ron! Harry! Wood???" Hermione was confused, but wore a smile as she walked over to her friends.  
  
She gave them all hugs.  
  
"Hi Hermione." Said Harry, gleaming.  
  
"Hey, I know that look, why's everyone so happy?" she asked.  
  
"Oliver's staying this year as Quidditch Director! Isn't that awesome?" Ron told her energetically.  
  
"Oh! Great! I think we'll win the Quidditch Cup again this year!" Hermione told them positively.  
  
"I'm looking forward to seeing you guys at Hogwarts. Don't tell any of the other team members, O.K.? Don't wanna spoil it for 'em."  
  
"O.K." They said, synchronized.  
  
Oliver gave a salute, and turned to leave.  
  
"I think we'd better go, we're already late!" Hermione said as she glanced at her watch, a horrified expression on her face. She didn't want this to ruin her Prefect days.  
  
"O.K.," Said Harry and Ron as they rolled their trolley's over to the Hogwarts Express.  
  
Once aboard, they found a compartment and sat down. They began talking about what they did over the summer, and what they want to do this year. They talked and laughed and ate wizard sweets while on their way to their last year at The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
  
  
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How did you like it? This is my second post here, so I'm still not very good…..lol. HeeHee. I hope you guys review it!!! Flamers are accepted. Don't feel held back, kk??? I will post the other chapters as you guys respond. I have some pretty wicked plans for the other chapters so….R+R and find out what happens!!! Please!!!!!! ^_^ 


	2. Cannons Loss and Quidditch Practice

Part 2…………….  
  
  
  
Once at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione went up to their dormitories and got changed before the Sorting Hat Banquet.  
  
"Seems like yesterday, doesn't it, Ginny?" Asked Harry, with a smile spread on his face.  
  
"Yea…."  
  
Harry knew how hard it was in her first year….with Tom Riddle and all. Since then he had always been there for her. She was like a little sister to him, especially since they live in the same house.  
  
They went down to the Great Hall where the first years had already been sorted. They sat at the Gryffindor house table just as the huge feast appeared on it. Huge roast turkeys and flaming puddings- all of it looked delicious! Dumbledore gave his usual speech and told them to begin eating when ever they liked.  
  
Ron and Harry hadn't eaten anything since that breakfast sandwich earlier, so they grabbed their forks and began eating. Hermione, who was sitting next to Ginny, sighed. They were engaged in conversation.  
  
After the meal, hundreds of owls cluttered the room.  
  
"Wow! Mail already??" Ron yelled over the rush of fluttering wings.  
  
"I guess so…" Harry said as Hedwig dropped a copy of The Daily Prophet in his lap.  
  
Ron got one too.  
  
"Dad and Mum never really send me the newspaper unless it's got something important in it…" Ron told him, unfolding the curled parchment.  
  
Harry turned to the first page and read the headline:  
  
1 CANNONS LOSE SEEKER TO BEATER'S CLUB  
  
Harry nudged to Ron who was laughing at the comics section.  
  
"Hey-look! The Chudley Cannons lost their Seeker!!!" Harry told him, with a concerned look upon his face.  
  
Ron spat out his Butterbeer.  
  
"What?!? He yelled as he wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his cloak. He grabbed the paper from Harry.  
  
"You know, Ron, you DO have your own…." Said Harry, sighing.  
  
"Oh yea…." Ron smiled. Then it turned to a frown. "I still can't believe this!!!" He said, taking up his own roll of parchment, which was now bleeding with ink from his Butterbeer.  
  
"I wonder if Wood's seen it yet?" Harry asked him, as he stuffed the last of his dessert in his mouth.  
  
They looked towards the head table where Oliver sat. it looked like he had seen it, too. He had a look of dismay plastered upon his face and it appeared that was reading it over and over.  
  
Hermione, who was eavesdropping, tried to change the topic.  
  
"When's the first Quidditch game Harry?" she asked him, politely.  
  
"When is it, Ron? Thursday?" He asked him.  
  
Ron just nodded, his mouth was stuffed full of some kind of jelly-filled dessert pastry.  
  
"Have you guys practiced at all yet?' She asked, they hadn't mentioned anything about it.  
  
Ron shook his head.  
  
"Shot yesht." He said, munching.  
  
"Oh….." she replied in disgust, "I can't believe I could even understand you…"  
  
" Shood we get shoome shish evening…??"Ron asked Harry, trying to get down the pastry.  
  
Ginny laughed. Ron shot her a stare.  
  
"Maybe…." Said Harry, looking thoughtful.  
  
Just then, Dumbledore rose up in his chair almost magically, (maybe it was…) and everyone silenced.  
  
" Our new Quidditch Director has something to share with us, so please, your full attention……… Oliver?"  
  
Oliver Wood stood up to cheers, even from some first-years.  
  
"I would like to make a small announcement. New after-class Quidditch lessons will be instructed by me. Spaces are filled by first-come first- served basis. There will be sign up sheets in your common rooms. Also, for the Gryffindor and Slytherin House Teams, there will be a match on Thursday, Harry and Draco, your Captains, will give you further instructions. Also, the match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff is coming up. Thank you."  
  
Wood sat down to more cheers and applause from the students.  
  
After the banquet , as group went on their way to their common room, they were stopped by Draco Malfoy.  
  
"So, Potter, are you ready for our match which is less then a week away? I doubt you'll win. I've heard that the Captain and his Keeper haven't trained at all over the summer." He sneered, as gruesome as always.  
  
Harry clenched his fists.  
  
"I, on the other hand, have been.You might want to whip in shape. Looks like the team -If you want to call it a team- is going to need it….. if you don't want to get slaughtered." He hissed as he walked away with Crabbe and Goyle loyally at his side.  
  
Harry thought about this through his anger. He turned to Ron.  
  
"7:30 tonight…the Pitch." 


End file.
